1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to floating piers, and more particularly to a system for distributing utilities to a plurality of spaced apart points along the piers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Floating piers formed by a plurality of concrete shells filled with a buoyant material are in common use. The floats are typically arranged to form an elongated mainwalk having a large number of spaced apart finger floats projecting from the mainwalk. Boats are then typically moored on opposite sides of each finger float.
A plurality of tie rods generally extend transversely through the floats with the ends of the tie rods projecting transversely from the sides. The individual floats are then secured to each other by utilizing elongated wales extending along the sides of the floats and fastening the wales by means of the tie rods.
Boats in their moorages normally utilize utilities with a shore-side origin, such as water, electricity, sewer and telephone. Consequently it is necessary to distribute these utilities to spaced apart points along the mainwalk. Utility distribution is typically accomplished by forming a central utility trench along the length of each float and running utility conduits through the trench. The trench is then removably covered with an elongated cover. Conduits are generally embedded in the float during manufacture to allow the utility conduits to extend from the utility trench to the sides of the float where they terminate in conventional utility distribution fixtures which are mounted on the wales.
Although the above described structure effectively distributes utilities to the finger floats, it nevertheless exhibits a number of disadvantages. Formation of the utility trough and embedding the conduits in the float require somewhat more complex forming and finishing than would otherwise be required, thereby increasing the material and labor costs of such floats. Furthermore, the utility trenches preclude the tie rods from extending across the entire width of the float where they would maintain the top, or structural, element of the float in a mild state of compression. Instead, individual tie rods extend from the utility trough to the sides of the floats. Consequently there are no reinforcing members at the centers of the floats so that tensional cracks sometimes develop along the length of the floats.
Utility trough floats are also fairly difficult and hence expensive to install due primarily to the necessity of routing the utility conduits from the utility trough to the sides of the floats. As mentioned above, conduits must be embedded in the concrete forming the float between the utility trench and the side of the mainwalk floats adjacent each finger float. Since the locations of the utility conduits are thus determined during manufacture, a large number of special float types must be manufactured and stocked for specific installations. Since the utility conduits must be routed through these conduits during on-site installation of the floats where working conditions are most difficult and labor rates are higher, the above described utility trough floats are not only more expensive to manufacture, but they are also more expensive to install.
Another problem with utility trough distribution systems arises from the difficulty in bending the utility conduits away from the utility trough with a sufficiently large radius of curvature. Many construction codes specify a minimum radius of curvature for utility conduit bends as a multiple of the conduit's diameter. It is often difficult to route conduits in a utility trough in a manner permitting a sufficiently large bending radius, particularly where the trough is crowded. Consequently, relatively expensive accessories must be used.
Still another problem with concrete floats having a utility trough results from improper drainage of the trough causing eventual corrosion of the utility conduits and electric wires.
A somewhat less troublesome problem associated with utility trough floats results from upwardly projecting portions of the utility trough cover or the fastening bolts for the cover which may be tripped on and thus pose a safety hazard.
Finally, the utility trough concept of utility distribution does not allow existing floating piers which do not have a utility distribution system to be retrofitted with a utility distribution system. Such existing installations can only be retrofitted by replacing the floats themselves. Even existing utility trough systems are sometimes in need of retrofitting when the number of utility services increase and the capacity of the utility troughs are limited by the cross-sectional area of such troughs.
Another technique for distributing utilities throughout a concrete float pier involves securing utility conduits to the underside of wales used to secure the floats to each other. However, this technique leaves the utility conduits unprotected and it requires that holes be bored in either the wales or the floats to route the conduits from beneath the wales to utility distribution fixtures mounted above the wales. These holes must be bored during on-site installation and thus markedly increase the installation costs of such float structures, while possibly weakening structural elements of the floats or wales.